Leader of the line: O’Neill primed for strong senior season

Monday

Aug 26, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Al Pikeapike@fosters.com

DURHAM — A heralded recruit coming out of high school, Seamus O’Neill’s welcome-to-college moment arrived shortly after he did.

“It’s the first day and we come out here for helmets practice,” he said. “In high school helmets it’s one step and you’re there. Once I saw the first lines go after each other I was like, oh my God, this is the real deal.”

O’Neill turned out to be the real deal as well.

From that early culture shock the fifth-year senior from Manchester developed into an all-conference tackle who will anchor the University of New Hampshire football team’s offensive line this season.

“He’s developed into one heck of a football player,” said coach Sean McDonnell. “He’s done it all with a lot of hard work and a lot of great effort.”

O’Neill started all 12 games last year for the Wildcats, who ranked second in the Colonial Athletic Conference in scoring and total offense.

They averaged 34.1 points per game and 451.5 yards. Those numbers could climb for an offense that returns most of its skill-position players, including both quarterbacks and its top seven rushers.

“We have so many skilled players at different positions that can step up and make plays,” said leading receiver R.J. Harris.

The Wildcats featured a balanced attack last season. They averaged 230.8 yards passing per game and 220.9 rushing.

The 6-foot-4 and 281-pound O’Neill, one of three co-captains and a four-year starter, is raring to go despite offseason shoulder surgery.

As the left tackle, he’s responsible for protecting a right-handed quarterback’s blind side.

“It’s the same as any position, knowing that if you get beat you could potentially get the quarterback hurt or crushed,” he said. “You never want to do that. Everybody’s got to finish their blocks on the offensive line.”

The Wildcats offensive line is mostly a veteran unit. Junior center Mike Coccia returns as does junior right tackle Rob Bowman. Both started all 12 games last season.

Coccia is a three-year starter. Senior Sean Ryan, of Londonderry, is listed as the starter at left guard on the preseason depth chart. Ryan played in 11 games last year, primarily as a back-up.

“When we’re in a game we need to get set as fast as we can since we want to do that hurry-up offense,” said O’Neill, who was a two-way lineman at Manchester Central High School. “With the guys that we have ... communication is not that hard of a job for me.”

Senior Ricky Archer and junior Tim Johnson are also back after missing all of last season.

Johnson was injured and Archer was ineligible. Archer was second team all-conference in 2011.

O’Neill is the unquestioned leader.

“He’s always been smart enough to defer to the older guys along the way — Mickey DiLima and Chris Zarkoskie,” McDonnell said, “but he saw how they led and he’s using what they did his senior year.”

“It’s being a role model on and off the field,” O’Neill said, “and teaching the young guys how everything is run here. You’re just trying to bring everyone along.”

He can empathize with the younger players, particularly the freshmen.

“I remember my freshman year,” O’Neill said. “My head was spinning. I didn’t know what was going on. I was lost. I went from the best player to being a nobody.”

O’Neill played guard as a redshirt freshman at UNH, appearing in eight games with five starts. He moved to tackle as a sophomore where the Wildcats had a need and has been there ever since.

“He’s a very athletic kid who can run,” McDonnell said. “He’s done a good job out there.”

O’Neill has started 23 of 24 games the last two seasons, including all 12 last year when UNH made its ninth consecutive appearance in the FCS playoffs, the longest active streak in the nation.

The Wildcats, however, have lost three straight playoff games and have never made it past the quarterfinals. Nobody knows that better than the seniors, who hope to change that this year.

“We sit down and talk about it even when we’re in the dining hall,” O’Neill said. “Right now it’s our whole lives. Everyone’s really excited. It’s our fifth year. Everyone wants to win it all this year.”

UNH opens Sept. 7 at Central Michigan. The Wildcats don’t begin CAA play until Oct. 5 when they visit Towson.

UNH has been a good fit for O’Neill, whose father and uncle both played for the Wildcats. Brian O’Neill, Seamus’s dad, was a two-time (1984-85), all-conference defensive lineman.

“It’s in my family,” Seamus said. “Once I made my recruiting visit I wanted to be here.”

O’Neill has also excelled in the classroom. He’s received the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award three years in a row.

Now he’s focused on team success, and he likes what he’s seen so far in camp.

“This entire preseason everybody’s just been high energy,” O’Neill said. “Everyone’s excited for the season because we know we have something special.”

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